Automatic shotgun



June 25, 1968 G. BENELLI AUTOMATIC SHOTGUN 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 251966 Inventor.- GIOVANM BENELU HTRSRNEYS G. BEN ELL;

AUTOMATIC SHOTGUN June 25, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1966/nventor GIOV/1N NI BENE LU Mem N .um

June 25, 1968 G. BENELLI AUTOMATIC SHOTGUN 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May26. 1966 /nvenorf GloVANM BENELu 70mm/em ATTORNSYS June 25, 1968 G.BENELLI 3,389,487

AUTOMATIC SHOTGUN Filed May 26, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.

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June 25, 1968 G BENELU AUTOMAT I C SHOTGUN 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May26, 1966 Inventor.

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United States Patent O 3,339,487 AUTOMATIC SHOTGUN Giovanni Benelli,Pesaro, Italy, assgnor to S.A.S. F.lli

Benelli G.F. & C., Pesaro, Italy, a corporation of 5 Italy Filed May 26,1966, Ser. No. 553,168 Claims priority, application Italy, Aug. 6, 1965,17 ,802/ 65 1 Claim. (Cl. 42-17) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Thisinvention relates to an automatic shotgun with a cartridge magazine inthe stock, and to a cartridge feeder device for said shotgun.

Single barreled multiple-shot, or repeating, Shotguns are known, whereinthe expulsion of the cartridge which has been tired, the introductioninto the tiring chamber of the cartridges to be fired, and the loadingor cocking of the percussion elements, are effected automatically by thereaction of the gases (recoil) which causes the barrel to move backwardsintegrally with the loading and tiring mechanism.

Such Shotguns generally have the cartridge magazine in the initialsection of the barrel and this leads to an unbalance of the weapon,because it is made heavier by the weight ofthe said cartridges at thefront.

It is the object of this invention to provide a shotgun of the aforesaidtype which is more highly balanced by means of a special arrangement ofthe cartridge magazine in the shotgun.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device to feedthe cartridges into the tiring chamber which will permit introduction ofthe cartridges into the magazine in a simple and reliable manner. 5

More particularly, the automatic shotgun according to the presentinvention is characterised in that it comprises a cartridge magazinearranged on the triggerguard element and extended into the stock, and alifter arranged at the end of the magazine and consisting in a sec- 50tion pivoted to the casing of the shotgun and a section pivoted to theiirst section so that the two sections tilt in both directions to permitthe introduction of the cartridge into the magazine and to carry thecartridge which is to be tired from time to time into the tiringchamber. 55

The invention will now be described in further detail with reference toa preferred embodiment thereof, given purely as an example and thereforein no limiting sense, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is partial section of the lifter and the cartridge magazine withthe lifter in the condition of manual introduction of the cartridgeslinto the magazine;

FIG. 2 is a section similar to FIGURE 1, but with the lifter in thecartridge locking condition;

FIG. 3 is a section similar to FIGURE l, but in the condition of housinga cartridge on the lifter;

FIG. 4 is a section similar to FIGURE l, but in the condition ofpositioning the cartridge in the barrel;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the lifter in two differentconditions. F

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 5 and6, an automatic shotgun is shown ICC having a barrel 1 integral with thebreech 2 and which, when tiring has occurred, moves backwards with thelatter and then returns into the normal position by means of a customaryreturn spring. During the return movement, a fresh cartridge which is tobe red enters the tiring chamber.

In the trigger-guard element 3 there is provided a bore 4 which isextended into the stock of the shotgun and in which there is inserted ametallic tube 5 which constitutes the cartridge magazine with a cup 6slidable therein and urged towards the right-hand side of the drawing bya helical spring 7 inserted in the tube 5 between the cup and the closedend of the magazine. The trigger-guard element 3 has a chamber 8 infront of the open end of the magazine, and opens downwardly to permitthe introduction of the cartridges into the magazine.

In the chamber 8 is disposed a lifter generally designated at 9 (seeFIGS. 5 and 6) and substantially consisting in two elements. Oneelement, designated 10, has a frontal plate 11 on the sides of which arefixed two arms 12 and 13 extending at right angles to the plate 11. Theplate 11 has at the rear two shoulders 14 and 15, one on each side,having in their upper portion two holes 22 disposed in mutual coaxialalignment intended to receive a pin 16 (FIG. l) of a positioner 17inserted in a tube 18 provided in the hand-guard rod 19 of the shotgunand continuously urged by a helical spring 20 disposed in the tube 18.

The free ends of the two arms 12 and 13 each has a through hole 21arranged coaxially aligned. The arm 12 has on its upper edge asemi-circular recess 23, the purpose of which will be explainedhereinbelow.

The other element, designated 24, is arcuate and has a cylindrical seat25 suitable for housing a cartridge. On one side of the element 24 thereis a projection 26 carrying an outwardly projecting stud 27 which isintended to be normally housed in the semi-circular recess 23 of theelement 1i). One end of the element 24 has a through hole (not shown inthe figure) which serves to pivotally connect the said end to the freeend of the arms 12 and 13 by means of a pin 28. In this way the element10 is pivoted to the casing of the shotgun by means of the pin 16,whereas the element 24 is pivoted in the element 10 by the pin 28, andthe two elements are thus pivotally movable in both directions.

The operation of the device will now be described with reference toFIGS. 1 4, which are views of subsequent steps of the movement ofthelifter.

FIG. l illustrates the position of the lifter 9 at the step ofintroducing the cartridge C manually into the attached magazine 5 which,as already stated, extends from the trigger-guard element 3 into thestock of the shotgun.

By pressing the lifter 9 towards the breech block 29, the lifter permitsentry of the cartridge C into the magazine 5.

As soon as the cartridge C is fully introduced into the magazine 5, thelifter 9 is automatically restored into the cartridge holding positionby means of the positioner 17, which slides in the tube 18 and is urgedcontinuously forward by the spring 20. This movement is repeated at eachintroduction of a cartridge until the magazine 5 is full.

FIG. 2 illustrates the position of the lifter 9 at the cartridgeblocking step in the magazine 5, maintained by the positioner 17.

FIG. 3 illustrates the beginning of the step of loading the cartridge Cinto the barrel 1. This movement of the lifter 9 occurs after theexpulsion of the fired cartridge and after the recoil has occurred, withthe return into position of the breech-barrel 2-1. As soon as thebreechbarrel unit returns into the blocking position, a suitable`ltasaasv' rotate downwardly about the pin 16, permitting the eartridgeC, urged by the spring 7, to slide in the cylindrical seat 25 of theelement 24 of the lifter 9 until it strikes against the plate 11.

FIG, 4 illustrates the final step for the leading ot the cartridge Cinto the barrel l. Whilst the cartridge C is travelling the finalmillimetres of its travel in the seat 25 of the element 24 of the lifter9, it squeezes a lug (not shown) which releases a lever 30 which rotatesby the action of a bias-tensioned spring of the breech block 29, and inits rotation the lever 30 displaces the element 24 of the elevator bymeans of the stud 27 upwardly about its pivot 28 and transports thecartridge C into the position of introduction into the barrel l. Uponmovement of the lever 30, the breech block 29 is released and urges thecartridge into the barrel, returns, the lever 30 into the position ofabutment, and terminates with the closure of the weapon.

At this point the weapon is ready for tiring. Although only oneembodiment of the invention has been illustrated, it is obvious that anumber of changes may be made therein without departing from the scopeof the invention.

I claim:

l. A single barreled automatic shotgunsof the multipleshot or repeatingtype having a stock, a casing defining a tiring chamber supported onsaid stock, a trigger-guard mounted ou said stock adjacent said tiringchamber, and a cartridge-loading mechanism comprising a cartridgemagazine having an open and a closed end disposed on the trigger-guardelement with said closed end extending into the stock, and a lifterarranged at said open end of the magazine consisting in a first sectionpivoted adjacent one end to said casing and a second section pivoted tothe opposite free end of said rst section such that said sections areoperatively arranged for pivotal lifting movement effective to carry acartridge placed on said second section into said firing chamber, saidsecond section having a cylindrical surface forming a seat for saidcartridge and a laterally projecting stud thereon which serves as a gripfacilitating the raising of said sections through said pivotal liftingmovement.

References Cited llJNITED STATES PATENTS 272.636 `M1883 Boch 42-17Il,l90,352 "il/1916 Winks 42-17 L27/0,408 `ll/l942 Burton 42-17lBENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

